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The first in a series of four courses that cover a complete classical manual of Islamic Law, The Reliance Explained is a unique opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of exactly what it means for our religion to be a “way of life”. This part covers Purification and Prayer.

At-A-Glance

Read the first Islamic legal work in a European language to receive the certification of al-Azhar from cover-to-cover

The first in a series of courses that will cover all chapters of Islamic law, not just worship

Builds on your previous study of Islamic Law

Become enabled to understand complex scenarios related to purification and prayer according to the Shafi'i school

Focus on high level principles that subsume a large number of low level details underneath them

Learn what kinds of questions you need to ask before undertaking a particular action

About the Course

Few students of knowledge ever get the opportunity to read a classical manual of Islamic Law that covers all of the chapters of Islamic Law (not just worship or ‘ibadat) from cover-to-cover under a teacher, and thereby they miss out on the comprehensive understanding of exactly what it means for our religion to be a “way of life”. The Reliance Explained seeks to fill this void in a series of four courses that cover a complete classical manual of Islamic Law.

The course will enable you to understand complex scenarios related to purification and prayer according to the Shafi`i school. Particular emphasis will be placed on high-level principles that subsume a large number of low-level details underneath them. In areas of controversy, the course will also digress to discuss some of the proofs from the Quran and Sunna for legal rulings, and you will also be exposed (in some issues) to opinions held by scholars of other schools (may Allah be pleased with all of them).

Course Format

The course will consist of weekly Live Sessions, pre-recorded audio lessons, as well as Mid-Term and Final Examinations. Ustadh Farid shall hold weekly office hours where student can consult with him one-on-one. Students are highly encouraged to post their questions in the Forum over the course of the week, which are answered during the Live Sessions.

Weekly Time Commitment

The course shall require an estimated 3-6 hours per week outside Live Sessions to listen to the pre-recorded audio material, review the information, and take notes.

Suggested Readings

The text of this series, the Reliance of the Traveler, is an in-depth manual of Islamic law based on ‘Umdat al-Salik by the great scholar Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri. Shaykh Nuh Keller’s translation is the first Islamic legal work in a European language to receive the certification of al-Azhar.

Students are required to have a copy of the text for this course.

Recommended Background

Al-Maqasid: Introduction to Worship (Shafi'i) – Part 1 and Part 2 (LAS111/112) are required prerequisites. If you have done the equivalent outside of Qibla, you are still strongly encouraged to repeat the courses here. If you feel otherwise and would like to enroll in LAS212 directly, you may do so, bearing in mind that the coures covers a lot of material and is by no means an easy course.

LMT102: The Sources of Islamic Law and LMT201: Derivation of Islamic Law: TheWaraqat Explained are recommended complementary courses.

FAQ:

How is this course going to benefit me?

The “crowning achievement” of Muslim scholarship, Islamic law is extremely practical because it deals with real-world issues that Muslims face in their day-to-day lives, making the learning of every single student of knowledge incomplete until they have studied a classical manual of Islamic Law from cover-to-cover. You will be able to sense the religious significance of actions and decisions you make in you life and what kinds of questions you need to ask before undertaking a particular action. Knowledge is essential to build this sense. Until someone has studied a manual of Islamic Law, they often do things not realizing that they may be falling into something unlawful. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of Islamic Law, you will be able to attain godfearingness (taqwa) in your lives because you will know how Allah’s command relates to everything you do.

Who is this course essential for?

This course is a key component of the Seekers curriculum. It is for serious students of knowledge who want to go beyond merely understanding what they need to implement in their own lives to being able to answer other people’s religious questions related to Islamic Law. Anyone who is planning on being in a position where they will answer people’s religious questions must have a solid grounding in this area.

What shall I know coming out of the course?

By the end of these four courses, you will have read the Reliance of the Traveler word-for-word with the instructor, which is the classical way of acquiring knowledge. You will become familiarized with an increasing amount of fiqh terminology in Arabic, learn how to understand the terse expressions of classical manuals, and appreciate the value of writing manuals in such a manner.